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Research overview
This project aims to model the trajectory of a non-uniform density bowling ball on a non-uniformly oiled lane for any set of initial conditions. The model is used to understand how ball parameters and throw parameters affect the trajectory of the ball, and to address anecdotal hypotheses of bowlers. A second model is developed for the collisions of the ball, pins, lane, and walls. Various methods for detecting collisions and computing post-impact velocities are presented, including a sphere-swept method for detecting collisions with pins.
The blue links above provide a condensed overview of my project. My thesis itself is available to lab members here: Bowling mechanics: Simulation of ball and collision dynamics.
The top video below is a slideshow summarizing the project. The others accompany the slides.